Bad Code
by proud.to.be.a.twin98
Summary: Hypothetically, what would happen if a former Lord High Protector found out a terrible secret. A disgusting last resort made by a desperate mech to hold onto his power. What would happen if that action caused an imbalance between him and his brother. An inbalance that was never supposed to happen. What would happen if they found a way to reverse it.
1. Chapter 1

The mechs and femme's at the Diego Garcia base were confused, and to me, that was a beautiful thing. Normally I was the only confused one but that ain't important. There had been prophecy after prophecy saying that Megatron would be revived, the Fallen would return, and caos would ensue blah blah blah, raining fire and screaming creations. So that's exactly what happened right? Wrong in so many ways I haven't been able to understand the first one yet.

It had been a year now, a whole slaggin year, since that All Spark fragment had been stolen. Sam Withickey or something had come a month afterward to Optimus to try to figure out what the symbols running around in his head were. As soon as Optimus read them, they were automatically translated in his processor and spark because he's a Prime, and they mystically vanished from Sam's mind. Every few breems, a new event came up, something that was supposed to happen. They had gone to the meat place. Contacted the smarmy Simmons. Gone to the ancient, former-Decepticon, Jetfire. Ratchet managed to fix him completely. Jetfire helped the Mini-Con Wheelie to change sides. They followed the directions to the tomb of the Primes. Optimus gained the Matrix. They destroyed the Pit-spawn hugethe energon harvester just hanging out in a random pyramid. They then finally found where the Fallen Highness of Corny Doom was and destroyed him.

None of that. Was. Supposed. To happen. That. Way. Not a single thing. So what was different?

Megatron. Megatron the Warlord from Cybertron and red opticed maniac had missed his grand entrance. Oh he was revived. They had gotten into contact with him. And he had told them essentially 'to go away because I'm busy'.

What was he hiding? And how on this Pit of a disgusting planet that should be called Dirt, could it be bigger then reviving his so called 'Master'?

Why comrades, take a good look my canons, my stunningly jaw dropping complexion, my good friend known as the Wrench of Doom owned by the lovely Hatchet himself I happened to be able to borrow, and enjoy the read.

While trying to say that wrench part 5 times fast. Without looking. Go ahead. I DARE YA!


	2. Chapter 2

"How are you today, Will?" The man in question looked up and smiled at the holoform standing before him.

"Quite well, Ratchet. Yourself?"

"Not too bad. Late night with the new arrivals but nothing high grade won't fix." Will chuckled in agreement and sympathy. Ratchet found himself hesitating for a few moments. Normally he would simply demand what he wanted, but this man had earned his respect a hundred fold and was in a relationship with his closest friend, causing him to be one of the few living organisms Ratchet handled with care.

"I must admit to needing a thing or two from you." He started slowly while pouring a small amount of seasoning into his cube of energon.

"Sure. Go ahead." That respect, of course, was mutually shared and acknowledged. Lennox observed how the hologram before him creased it's forehead to show Ratchet was concentrating. The man considered himself fortunate that he had a natural dislike of the holoforms. They were well crafted, no doubt about that, but they weren't the real person. Ratchet was depicted as an intelligent, mature, slightly aged doctor with a sharp glint in his eye, a stomp in his step and a gentleness in his hands. Glasses and neon green hair just made it almost a perfect fit for the mech. Almost.

"Will?" Ratchet called softly. He had noticed the human had zoned out while eating his breakfast and the hard flinch that answered the sudden noise was proof of that theory. Ratchet was just about to ask what was so interesting when he got a surge of emotion through his familial bond.

"Excuse me a moment, Will." The man nodded in understanding. Having spent this much time with the Bots he knew each expression for each form of communication, true though incredibly creepy if he actually thought about it. If it was a simple comm he would have no trouble interrupting, but a bond? That was sacred.

Ratchet carefully travelled along the many bonds he had, each one slightly different. He was having trouble finding the disturbance when he felt Ironhide's presence reach out. Ratchet answered and sent back what he was feeling. Ironhide answered with one sharp glyph. Optimus. He then sent the feelings of worry, hurt, pain, confusion, and the desperate need for help. Ratchet sent an answering wave of assurance and cut the bond.

"My apologies, Will. But I am needed else where." The man waved him off as he took a swig of coffee.

"Go ahead, don't bother me. Just promise you'll ask if you need anything." Ratchet felt a rare smile come to his face at the hidden care in this man.

"Thank you, Lennox." Then he pulled his full attention back to his real body and dispersed his holoform. Left alone again at the table, Will started humming a slight tune he had once heard and continued to eat his breakfast at leisure. Ratchet's pace, however, was anything but leisurely. He had quickly transformers into his bipedal mode and bolted for where his brother was.

Very few people in the base, even Cybertronians, knew how bad off Optimus really was at the mokent, and it was only getting worse the longer this went on. Ratchet didn't know if he could do anything if the mech had another episode.

He slid into the room, Jazz's berth room actually, which didn't surprise him in the slightest. It was known throughout the base that Optimus and the mech interfaced together to counter balance the loss of their mates. What was unsettling is that he only did so recently when he was close to the edge. He tried to calm himself down but the sight in front of him had every single medical protocol firing into action.

Optimus was sitting on the berth with Ironhide and Sideswipe on either side of him and Jazz at his back. The Prime was keening, with coolant running in rivers down his face plates. He was holding onto something in front of him like it was a lifeline. A data pad, Ratchet was able to see as he slowly walked forward. He keeled down on one knee in front of the huge mech, and gently placed a hand on his leg in a comforting manner.

"Optimus." He spoke softly so as not to startle him too much. He saw Jazz shake his helm and sent an inquiring ping over their comms.

°He ain't answering to his name. He won't look at any of us. He'll lean on us and send his gratitude for us bein here, but he won't say a word nor respond to anythin.° Ratchet nodded. He'd seen this stage in Optimus many times before, Jazz had very little edperience, Optimus may visit often but he would normally have gone to the medbay by now if he felt it becoming this intense. He reached up to touch the flaming mech's chin guard and lifted it slightly so he was now looking in Optimus's optics.

"Orion. Orion, can you hear me?" He saw Optimus's optics focus for a time, before starting to unfocus again. He took that as a yes.

"Orion, can you show me what it is? What has you this upset?" Optimus clenched his servos around the data pad once more, then moved it slightly in his direction. Then a small bit more distance. Then a bit more. Ratchet waited there patiently as the mech slowly gave it over. Once Ratchet had taken the data pad completely and Optimus was no longer touching it, Optimus' optics fully cleared as did his processor. He turned to each of the three mechs and traced the glyph for gratitude on their left face plates, not quite trusting his voice. It was a gesture used between brothers in the lower caste workers on Cybertron.

Jazz accepted the small gift from the Prime, and even went so far as to give the other mech a full human hug. A scandalous thing for a minibot to do on Cybertron with a Prime. He noticed how Ratchet had known exactly what to do in this situation and wondered how many times this had happened with his on/off lover. He had known Optimus the longest but Ratchet had never left the Prime's side except for individual missions. Jazz had been gone for vorns and vorns, not to mention the recent death and being revived fiasco.

Ratchet suddenly started to rapidly flip through the data pad with a look of deep awe and disgust. Optimus physically leaned forward in anticipation and Jazz forcefully pulled him back and started to massage the tense protoform underneath all that armour with Ironhide joining in. Optimus relaxed a bit, but not much.

Ratchet could feel equal parts horror and hope start creeping into his spark. He had just gone over all the data in front of him in hundreds of different ways. The only things wrong were simple grammatical errors that comes from being rushed or nervous. Careless mistakes. The data was real. He didn't know if that was a good thing. He slowly placed the data pad onto the floor and clasped the servos of the mech he was kneeling next to. He shakily nodded his helm while looking into his optics.

"Everything here is correct and true. All the data here fits with data I collected myself but could not previously decipher nor connect." He paused, not knowing what else to say. Still in shock and not quite believing what he was seeing. Optimus lightly shifted to stop Jazz andIronhide's work then leaned forward while bringing up their still claspeded servos to rest his helm against them.

"Is there anything you can do?" Optimus asked after a time in a tone carefully devoid of any emotion.

"Yes." His helm snapped up so fast Ratchet couldn't follow the movement, only see the outcome.

"Are you willing to do it?" He whispered, pleaded, to the medic, optics wide with so many emotions no doubt whirling in his spark. Without hesitation Ratchet moved his helm in a sharp nod and gripped their servos tighter, swearing by the one mech in the Universe more stubborn then he.

"Alpha Trion could not stop me."


	3. Chapter 3

A meeting had been called by the Chief Medical Officer. Honestly he didn't know how it was going to play out. Anything could happen with this group.

"Why exactly are we here?" Ratchet mentally groaned as Jazz sent sympathy across their familial bond. He then glared down at the boy who had been whining for the past few human months that he wanted nothing but a 'normal life'. How could the little twerp be so blind! Optimus was sitting right next to him with enough tension to stretch from here to Cybertron and back. Not to mention it was only three individuals they were waiting for.

"You waiting for us?" William Lennox asked before Ratchet could say a word. Speak of the a Caos Bringer and He shall appear. Strolling in with Lennox was General Mosher and Bobby Epps. Sideswipe picked them up and placed them on the table next to Mikaela, Sam and Simmons.

"Indeed, now we may begin. First off, does anyone have any reasonably intelligent questions?" He felt Optimus give him a disapproving glare as he glanced at certain individuals.

Arcee raised her servo.

"No offence, Ratchet, but why are you doing the talking? Jazz told us this was about Optimus." She respectfully dipped her helm in the Prime's direction. "Sir." He acknowledged it and Ratchet was pleased to see him give a small smile in appreciation as he always did.

"Arcee is correct. What is going to be discussed here is about Optimus and that is precisely why I am doing some of the speaking with those who wish to explain information they are knowledgeable of. This topic is extremely sensitive and part of it is actually the area I specialize in. It is also the reason I asked Arcee and Sideswipe specifically to be present." He saw the others nodding in understanding. It was nothing against the Cybertronians, just normally meetings as sensitive as this were held with Optimus, Jazz, Ironhide, and himself alone.

"As for what Sam pointed out earlier. The humans are here simply because it will be easier to explain it at once instead of through Bots who may or may not understand everything. As well, Optimus agreed he trusted you enough with this information." He gave pointed a look at the boy who didn't even have the decency to look embarrassed.

"Now, I'm not sure how much the humans know on the subject, but it is definitely less then the rest of us so please be patient." He spoke to the Cybertronians then turned to the humans.

"What can you tell me about split spark twins?" He saw every Bot in the room stiffen, realizing this must have to do with Megatron, seeing as he and Prime were twins.

To Ratchet's utter dismay and disgust Sam simply shrugged nonchalantly, like he didn't even care. He felt Optimus nudge him across their bond and opened his side of it while the other humans kindly waited, recognizing the expression just as Will had earlier.

°I do not think it was wise for Sam to be here.° Ratchet sent a wave of understanding and calm to the other mech.

°Are you sure?°

°Yes.°

°You let Simmons stay but not Sam?° He was genuinely curious and frankly confused.

°Simmons is mentally insane but in a positive way not unlike Wheeljack. We have both seen that he possesses the heart of an Autobot while helping us these past months.° Ratchet sent agreement as well as pride for such a decision, then closed the bond, though not completely. Optimus sent much gratitude for that move.

"Samuel Witwicky." It was not a question. It was a statement with a tone used for tank disposal.

"Yes?" He had the ball bearings to continue sounding bored. He was tempted now to just hand him over to Ironhide.

"Kindly leave the room." Sam seemed taken aback by this.

"Why?"

"You have no grasp on the seriousness of this situation." Sideswipe answered before Ratchet could. The expression of pure disgust and anger at the boy in his optics was enough to make Ratchet internally shiver. Sam opened his mouth to protest and Jazz went into action. He didn't draw out weapons, he didn't shout, he didn't swear. He simply spoke.

"Don't. Say. A word. You have disgraced not only our Prime's trust in you but the title of friend he gave to you and the privledge of being at this meeting. You are here at this table because what he needs now is support from his family and you are daring to make it seem as if this is a monthly meeting with Galloway. " Everyone was shocked. Jazz never, ever, used his true voice and now they knew why. It was absolutely terrifying. Energon chilling, Decepticons run from it, terrifying.

Sam hastily nodded and moved to the edge of the table. Sideswipe picked up the back of his shirt by two fingers and stood up to carry him out the door, he then came back in, closeed the door and sat down. Jazz calmly turned to Prime, to Sideswipe, then to Ratchet. Ratchet vented slowly then looked at the humans once more.

"Now. Split spark twins. Any thoughts?" Mikaela seemed to hesitate before starting to speak.

"A split spark twin is very much like our identical twins but with a deeper connection. Two halves of one spark. That deeper connection is both a blessing and a curse because of the greater amount of emotions between the two. Sideswipe is a split spark twin as well as Mudflap and Skids. That's all I know." She looked at the others once she was finished, biting her lip, a nervous tick Ratchet had noticed in other humans.

"Don't you call them the Big and Little twins?" Epps asked. Ratchet let out a small chuckle along with the other Cybertronians.

"More like the Annoying and Immature." Ironhide answered with a snicker.

"I'm sitting right here." Sideswipe deadpanned. Ratchet raised his servo for silence and then continued.

"That is a very good explanation. Now. This is where things get more serious so please view it as such." He paused and looked at Optimus, making sure one last time he wanted to go ahead with this. Optimus gave a slight nod of his helm and the medic decided to just ask away.

"Are you aware of the concept of Prime and Lord High Protector?" Oh they looked incredibl6 confused with that one. He turned to Optimus again.

°Do you wish to speak?° He asked gently.

°Yes, I believe that is wise. I am better able to explain it and seeing their reactions thus far has helped to calm me.°

°The klik you don't feel comfortable one of us will take over so you better slaggin tell us.° Optimus sent a wave of amusement to the medic before their attention was distracted by the humans answering their previous question.

"Well, your the Prime big guy, the leader. This Protector must be your second, or even possibly equal?" Epps asked hesitantly.

"Equals." He answered simply. Ratchet couldn't help but think Will's reaction was the equivalent to a 'light bulbs moment'.

"That's supposed to be the position in charge of military." Ratchet couldn't help but be impressed by that connection.

"We've all seen how much you hate fighting. Have heard you say it yourself, it's because you weren't originally supposed to have any contact with the violent side of ruling." Mikaela finished. Once again, Ratchet was impressed. Very few Cybertronians made such a connection and here two members of a whole different species just had.

"It's officially called the ruling 'Dyad'. A Prime in charge of spiritual affairs as the Protector is in charge of military. This is where the titles came to be called such. Most Dyads the Prime is in contact with the people, therefore the rules closest to the people often viewed as more powerful. The Protector, being that their in charge of military, Primes are not met to touch any weapon because of their spiritual connection. As such, the Protector has usually had to protect the Prime from any hostilities. The other responsibilities are decided based on their individual personalities. Interstellar relations, directly dealing with the citizens themselves, and of course politics."

"Your personal favourite assignment no doubt." Simmons added. Optimus smiled at the man, no doubt grateful for the small joke. Ratchet noticed a frown was present on Mikaela's and knew what she would ask.

"I'm confused, what does that have to do with spark twins?" He heard Optimus vent long and hard and the echo of comforting emotions from others at the table. Now, was when things could get ugly.

"A Prime and Protector are not chosen, they are created by the All spark specifically for the purpose of ruling. They are created as split spark twins because that connection is thought to better help the Dyad rule fairly and equally." Ratchet couldn't help but send his own comfort over their bond, cringing at what was next.

"Megatron." Optimus simply stared still as the others whipped around to look at Mikaela again.

"In Mission City you were reluctant to fight him and you called him 'brother'. That's why he has so many followers left, the ones who followed him were mostly military while the ones following you were mostly civilian, unaccustomed to war." Optimus nodded his helm slowly. Damn these humans were perceptive. Or maybe it 2as just Mikaela.

"How?" They turned to Simmons and Ratchet could see Optimus was not so calmly waiting for him to elaborate. "How could he become...that! You would've seen it coming and stopped it if you had any lack of trust in him at all." Optimus vented and shifted his plating slightly try and settle his emotions. Sideswipe got up quickly and walked around the the beside Optimus, motioning Ironhide who was on one side of him to move. Ratchet was surprised the speedster hadn't done so sooner. When Sunstreaker was alive the three of them would often have small trysts throughout the Palace on Cybertron, Ratchet and Megatron perfectly aware of it and often bothjoining in. They no longer engaged in such activities, but still had that comfortable relationship that few knew of.

"This is where I come in once more." Ratchet gently intervened. Ratchet could not have expressed how much his spark warmed at the adoration from the flaming mech. "For years many of us that have known the two since they were mere sparklings, babies I believe is the human term, have long known that they were not like their predecessors. Most Dyads are balanced in their emotions, internally and with each other. Not God like, but a feat many have dreaded of achieving. Optimus and Megatron have never had this." The humans looked confused.

"What do you mean by that?" Ratchet hesitantly glanced at Optimus and was somewhat relieved to see the mech give a nod of approval.

"What was often the case was the Lord High Protector has often been slightly more aggressive due to their being head of the military while the Prime more calm due to spiritual responsibilities. The difference between the two of them has always been huge. Both rulers are famous for the running quality of being overprotective, not a bad quality on its own. Like stated before, though, the balance had never been there, but now we know why. Which is the reason for all this in the first place." He knew the others were watching him curiously as he turned to project something on the wall behind him. And curiosity would change to confusion as soon as the image cleared.

"Before you is four diagrams of coding. The two on the right are the standards for a Lord High Protector and Prime respectively. On the left, is our own rulers." Yup, definitely confused.

"Ratchet, they're the same." Ironhide pointed out with a puzzled look not often seen. Oh what great blackmail. Bad Ratchet. Focus.

"These are the scans made on the two after they 'reviewed them personally'. Now here," He switched them for two others, "Is what the data collected actually looked like." And the jaws drop to the floor.

"So, the question is, what do you see?"


	4. Chapter 4

Oh this did NOT want to be written.

Disclaimer: Do not own transformers

I take full credit for the crazy mess that has come from a rather tiny plot bunny.

Thank you Lala2010 for reminding me that this existed.

* * *

An equally stunned and confused silence reigned.

"I have no idea what I'm looking at." Simmons announced helpfully. Sideswipe's optics rolled so hard they should've fallen out of his helm.

"So for those of us not versed in code gibberish..." Epps trailed off, trying his hardest as always to diffuse the tension in the room.

Ratchet used the touchscreen monitor in front of him to highlight specific parts of the coding. "Does this help?

"They've been switched." Lennox whispered in disbelief. Ratchet nodded his helm slowly.

"Look, Ratch. I ain't tryin to undermine ur ability here, but how come nobot has seen this sooner?" The green medic let out a long suffering vent of air.

"The bot who instigated the switch was keeping us from figuring it out."

"Sentinel Prime." Arcee answered gravely. Ratchet held back his emotions as the wave of comfort through their bond just about knocked Optimus over. Then he sent a calming wave of his own.

"And by the time the slagger was out of the picture the war had begun." Ironhide growled out.

"Alright. I get how but why?" Many pairs of optics turned as one to look at Simmons and it him completely freaked out. "This, switch had to happen at a young age right? What would another Prime get from messing with the coding of sparklings that couldn't possibly understand what was going on?"

And that tactfully put question was met with a very tense silence.

"He wanted to keep his power." Sideswipe answered. He glanced to Arcee, she nodded. He looked at Optimus, after a moment he slowly nodded once as well.

"Arcee was one of many to be commissioned by the Council to be Optimus and Megatron's personal companions while Sunstreaker and I were their body guards. The Council had long instilled this view of the ruling Dyad being above everyone so as to be untouchable." He paused, unsure of how far to go.

"We use ta sneak in data pads for them to read cuz the two were so bored out of their processors." Jazz added fondly, many of the Cybertronians sharing a knowing grin.

"Unfortunately this became the Council's favourite tool." Ironhide interrupted. "Keep them cut off from the world they could theoretically mold them however they wanted, while at the same time keeping their existence hidden enough from the planet for the people to never gain foolish ideals such as hope." The humans looked so shocked Ratchet had to roll his optics. The Weapons Specialist rarely showed his true intelligence.

"Sentinel became one nasty mech, let me tell ya. Power went straight to his helm." Sideswipe growled with a shake of his helm.

"An' that was before ol' Tarn off lined." Confused again at Jazz's coment. Ratchet wondered if it was possible for human faces to be permanently fixed into a single expression. Galloway. Yes, definitely possible.

"Right, so obviously there's a lot of history we not going to understand." Will spoke up, then paused, turning to face Ratchet. "What exactly was switched, and how do we switch it back?"

"CAN we switch it back?" Epps asked. Mikaela gave him a withering look. "It's an honest question." The man quickly defended.

"I would not have shown you this had it not been possible." Ratchet answered. He immediately felt the anger from his family members as it was reflected on the humans faces.

"Let me speak!" All halted at those words. "The amount of self awareness and the ability to have a fully fledged conscience were what has been switched, to quickly answer your previous question. What you cannot see in the code is that there is one final fail safe. When both Megatron and Optimus become aware of the switch, this fail safe activates. The next time they see one another, spark to spark, their coding will go completely insane." Ratchet's words were met with wide optics and the sound of a silver servo moving to rest gently on Optimus' arm.

"So, don't let them see each other." Ironhide incorrectly summed up.

"Nah mech, ya 'member Kaon when they were only 9 vorns." Ironhide shuttered in response along with Jazz and Ratchet.

"What Jazz is saying is that as soon as the coding is fixed their very sparks are going into reset mode. The imbalance meant they could never completely sinc their sparks, that will be possible again once the coding is fixed." Arcee explained, trying to keep the conversation within understanding of everyone involved.

"And trust me, there ain't nothin' stronger than a split spark bond. You put anythin' in between those two and it will be ripped to slag, even if it's their closest friend." Simmons cleared his throat as Sideswipe paused.

"So, why can't we just fix the code in separate rooms, then bring them together while their in stasis."

Sideswipe snorted.

"You think induced stasis is enough to hold back a spark bond? What part about "nothin' stronger" didn't ya understand?" Ratchet held up a servo before Simmons, or anyone, could snap back.

"Obviously Megatron is willing to do this. The only question left is when and where." They all looked to Will Lennox. The Major looked frozen for a moment before a slight smirk crept onto his face.

"Didn't you ask me earlier to move Bee's surgery up to tomorrow? In the secure room back of the medbay due to long term trauma rebounding?" He asked, looking at Ratchet. The mech raised an optic ridge.

"Why yes I did. Knowing you the paper work hasn't been done yet." The others started to grin, catching onto the game.

"Nope. I forgot. You know me, just a "grub without a brain"." Will smoothly answered, quoting Galloway while putting on his best "stupid grunt" act. Jazz snorted. "Man, ya sure ya don' wanna work in Special Ops?" Now it was Will's turn to snort.

"So it's settled, tomorrow, late orn because important humans love mornings, the operation will be done." Nods of confirmation at Ratchet's words. "Now, who is going to be present at the time, in the actual room?" All optics/eyes turned to Optimus. The mech took a moment to collect himself.

"The Matrix has given me some information." All of them leaned forward in anticipation. "When the coding is reversed spark bonding will not be enough, we will be driven to make any connection possible."

"Interfacing. Should'a seen that coming." Ironhide filled in.

"Hold on a klik, doin' all three* at tha same time is an a'most assured way of gettin' sparked." Optimus allowed a small smile at Jazz's concern.

"Considering the war will most likely end, I do not find the idea repulsive." While the others looked mildly uncomfortable, Ratchet and Mikaela grinned, the human female walking to the Prime and placing her hands on his servo before sitting down and leaning against it.

"Right then. Since the idea of a sparkling seems to be more disturbing than voyeurism, Optimus' choice which he can tell me at anytime." The medic paused, turned to smirk at Jazz. "Now for the fun part," A blank expression, the closest thing to confusion the saboteur would ever show, before the smirk was mirrored.

"Let tha red coolant flow."

* * *

*When it says "all three" types I mean spark merging as well as the humanized version of interfacing and the stereotypical G1 plug 'n play. No, I do not write smut, but I definitely use innuendos.

And for those who don't know, coolant=tears


End file.
